Pundit Martin Keown says he wasn’t stunned by Vincent Kompany’s decision to drop James Trafford.
The 21-year-old was dropped from the starting lineup for the first time this season, after previously being the only Burnley player to appear in every minute of every league game.
Kompany has previously disregarded pleas from fans to make the adjustment, but he eventually did so on Saturday during a 2-1 victory against Brentford.
It proved extremely popular with Clarets fans, who chanted “MURIC” at frequent intervals.
The swap paid immediately, with the Kosovan goalkeeper making a significant difference with his accurate long balls forward and rapid passing out of the back.
The 25-year-old also made some crucial stops, most notably when he stood tall to deny Yoane Wissa one-on-one.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70979126/1367537859.0.jpg)
The only minor concern is that he appeared nervous during the nine minutes of stoppage time in which the Bees put the ball into the box.
Overall, Muric performed admirably and appears to be a lock for the number one shirt against Chelsea.
In an interview with BBC Final Score, Keown was asked if he was surprised by Kompany’s decision to abandon Trafford.
The ex-Arsenal man said bluntly: “No.” The fact that he didn’t do it sooner astonished me the most, given Trafford’s precarious situation.
“I understand the loyalty because I believe it is his ideology. Okay, you pick your goalkeeper at the beginning of the season and stick with him. Choosing your number one is a major decision.
“[Changing him now] I think is the right one.”
